Tag Archives: Shannon Group

ONE of the pioneers of tourism in Clare would be “turning in his grave” at the decision to curtail access to Shannon Heritage facilities, a local authority member has said. Councillor Pat Hayes has slammed the decision to keep Knappogue Castle and Craggaunowen closed until further notice, in response to the pandemic, and to limit the season for Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. He said the situation flew in the face of the legacy of Dr Brendan O’Regan, who was instrumental in developing the amenities. “Given how important domestic tourism will be this year, and the fact that people are looking for facilities close to home, the decision is very disappointing,” he said. “As well as their importance to tourism in the midwest, these are vital facilities in terms of Irish history and heritage. Dr Brendan O’Regan would be turning in his grave over this.” The Fianna Fáil member there is now a strong case for a local authority take-over …

SHANNON Airport is to resume passenger services next week, while it has sought a range of supports, as it faces tough new realities. In a submission made by Shannon Group to the State’s Aviation Recovery Taskforce, it has sought “significant and effective funding” to help restore important routes. Shannon has also sought a two-year waiver from commercial rates, for the wage subsidy scheme for aviation/tourism to continue until at least March 2021 and a regionally targeted marketing support scheme to challenge Dublin’s dominance. In addition, Shannon has sought changes to national aviation policy, including a request that the Government designate it Ireland’s dedicated location for commercial transit operations. It has also made a request that consideration be given to providing support to a link between Shannon and a major European hub. While Shannon is to reopen with a number of Ryanair services next week, Aer Lingus have already temporarily laid off all of their workers at the airport and some …

SHANNON Group CEO, Mary Considine, has called for the immediate lifting of travel restrictions and the 14-day Quarantine period by July 1 as highlighted in the interim draft Aviation Recovery Taskforce report presented today (Tuesday) to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Commenting on the publication of the interim report, the CEO of Shannon Group and Aviation Recovery Taskforce member, Mary Considine, has called for the urgent implementation of all four key recommendations in the report to support the recovery of aviation. The report also includes a recommendation on the adoption of a national code of practice for air safety travel, and the continuation of existing COVID-19 relief measures including the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme to support employment. Ms Considine said: “The interim report recognises the critical role that airports, including Shannon, play in supporting the regional and national economy and promoting balanced regional development. “As an island nation, aviation is the lifeline that connects us to the global …

BUNRATTY Castle & Folk Park will only open for six more weeks in 2020, while other Shannon Group operated sites in Clare, including Craggaunowen and Knappogue Castle, are going to stay shut for the rest of the year. In a statement today Shannon Group said that Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and King John’s Castle in Limerick will reopen from July 20 to August 31 A spokesperson said, “The closure of all Shannon Heritage sites on March 13th for public health reasons, has had a devastating impact on our business. It is becoming increasingly likely that there will be no international tourists in Ireland for the remainder of this year, a market that Shannon Heritage relies heavily on. As a result of this, Shannon Heritage has had to take difficult but necessary business decisions. “Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and King John’s Castle will open for a 6-week period from July 20. As there may not be any international visitors, …

EVEN as passenger numbers dropped at Shannon Airport in 2019, profits for Shannon Group went upwards. According to its annual report, which has now been published, profit after tax for 2019 was €21.637 million, up from €20.915m in 2018. However, 2018 had seen a sum of €5.8m spent on a voluntary redundancy scheme. Writing in the report, chairman Rose Hynes described the 2019 performance as “satisfactory”. “This is a positive result in what was a challenging year for aviation and tourism in the regions,” she claimed. Of Shannon’s disappointing passenger numbers, Ms Hynes wrote, “It was disappointing that after six successive years of growth at the airport, passenger numbers were down by 8% to 1.71 million in 2019, due mainly to the global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX Jet on safety grounds. However, we redoubled our efforts to secure additional services and ended the year with the announcement of three new services to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Vienna and …

A NUMBER of the county’s top visitor attractions are closing until March 29, following a decision today from Shannon Group. The temporary suspension involves King John’s Castle in Limerick; Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, retail outlets at the Cliffs of Moher and Adare Heritage Centre, and also in Dublin Malahide Castle & Gardens; the Casino Model Railway Museum, Newbridge House & Farm, and GPO Witness History Museum. The suspension also includes Shannon Group’s medieval banqueting operations at Bunratty, Knappogue and Dunguaire Castles and its traditional Irish Night at Bunratty Folk Park. Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “At this time the health and wellbeing of our employees and customers is our primary concern. In their best interests, and in line with recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, we have taken the decision to temporarily close all of our sites from this evening until the 29th of March.” Niall O’Callaghan, Managing Director of Shannon Heritage said: …

THE Board of the Shannon Group PLC has today (Friday) announced the appointment of Mary Considine as the company’s new Chief Executive. With over 25 years’ experience in industry, Mary is currently the Deputy CEO and CFO for the Group and has been Acting CEO since June 2019.     Mary, who is a native of Lissycasey, takes up the position with immediate effect.  Her appointment is for a seven-year term.  She is married to Éibhear and has three children. She is a qualified accountant and has extensive experience in aviation, finance, governance and commercial, having previously held a number of senior roles within Shannon Group. She was appointed Deputy CEO of Shannon Group (CFO, Company Secretary & Chief Risk Officer) in 2016, and subsequently appointed Acting CEO of Shannon Group in June 2019. Mary was appointed President of Shannon Chamber in June 2018.  She is also a member of the Governing Authority of Mary Immaculate College. Rose Hynes, Chairman …

SHANNON Group, which operates Shannon Airport, Shannon Heritage and Shannon Commercial Properties, has said that the hosting of The Ryder Cup in Adare Manor will be the single most important event ever for promotion of the region. Welcoming Government’s commitment on a licence that will pave the way for the 2026 event to be hosted at the stunning venue, Shannon Group Acting CEO Mary Considine said that in terms of global events, hosting The Ryder Cup cannot be surpassed for the region. “To secure one of the biggest and most prestigious sporting events in the world is not just a phenomenal achievement for Adare Manor but an incredible boost for this region. The beauty of this is that it’s not just the event itself in 2026 but it is the build-up, starting from today, that will shine a spotlight on the incredible offering that Adare Manor and this region has. “It doesn’t get better than this for the region. It …